The 'Shop local' war

Southeast Valley municipalities are in a cordial but high-stakes battle for residents' spending money.

Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert and Tempe have started or intensified their "shop local" campaigns in recent months, some offering cloth bags, stickers, magnets, e-mailed sale notices and shopping search engines. The inspiration to step up the promotions comes from a more than two-year slide of municipal sales-tax revenues, money that municipalities need to pay for services.

While city officials dig out from grim budget forecasts and local businesses struggle to stay profitable, the competition is bringing residents a windfall of discounts, coupons, special events and free trinkets. A "Shop Chandler" link on the city's Web site reads like a call to arms as it urges residents, "Tell a friend or neighbor: Every person can do their part by keeping the importance of shopping locally in mind every time you make a purchase."

Gilbert touts, "Put your money where your house is." For Chamber of Commerce President Kathy Tilque, that conveys a simple message: "If you really are interested in keeping taxes lower, you can spend your money here. . . . You can help your community, and it's simple."

Those running the municipalities' campaigns say it's too early to gauge results, and sales-tax revenues are continuing to drop. However, Chandler spokeswoman Jane Poston said she has overheard residents talking in public places about the importance of shopping within city limits, "and they didn't know I was involved with the campaign. . . . Our goal is education, and that's happening."

All four municipalities have teamed with local business groups to sell the campaigns; the Chandler Republic and the Gilbert Republic are among sponsors of those communities' efforts. Municipal Web sites and government cable-television promotions give companies what amounts to free advertising and access to customers.

In Chandler and Gilbert, sponsors spent about $2,000 on recyclable cloth shopping bags with campaign logos that were distributed free at public events. The Gilbert Chamber of Commerce recently hosted a contest that asked people to submit photographs with their Shop Gilbert bags and awarded $50 local restaurant gift certificates to winners.

A Mesa Bucks promotion that runs through December gives shoppers who save receipts credit toward a Mesa Arts Center ticket as long as they pay for a second ticket and the sales-tax portion of the purchases are more than $3.

Tempe and Chandler provide searchable shopping maps on municipal Web sites - but don't expect to be directed to a neighboring city if these two don't have what you're looking for.

Chandler has decals, magnets and a Shop Chandler Club that comes with e-mailed sales notices and coupons. Chandler Fashion Center, one of the campaign's sponsors, hosts special events that have included free food, gift cards with purchases, free gift wrapping and free valet parking.

When Tempe started its campaign four months ago, it got a boost from Mayor Hugh Hallman in his State of the City speech and continues with seasonal gift idea promotions. City spokeswoman Kris Baxter said Tempe promotes local shops that can't be found anywhere else in the Valley.

Although the four municipalities have histories of waging nasty public fights to lure shopping malls or car dealerships that generate millions in sales-tax dollars, they're not getting down and dirty in this competition for shoppers. So far, none of the campaigns has mentioned the difference in sales-tax rates that could wind up costing shoppers more or less for the same item depending on where they buy it.

And no city has encouraged residents to boycott neighboring communities' businesses or to forgo a purchase that can be made only in Tempe if they live in Mesa.

They also aren't advertising across city limits to lure out-of-town shoppers. That's the prerogative of the retailers and restaurants, Mesa spokesman Steve Wright said.